Heuchera plant named ‘DKIRA88’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Heuchera  cultivar named ‘DKIRA88’ is disclosed, characterized by a compact and mounded habit, greyed-orange leaves with red-purple venations and fast growth rate. The new variety is a  Heuchera , normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Heuchera hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘DKIRA88’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Heuchera cultivar is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor, Gavriel Danziger, in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva,Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to produce newHeuchera varieties for ornamental commercial applications. The crossresulting in this new variety was made during February of 2009.

The seed parent is the unpatented, proprietary variety referred to asHeuchera hybrid ‘HU-8-149’. The pollen parent is the unpatented,proprietary variety referred to as Heuchera hybrid ‘HU-8-116’. The newvariety was discovered in November of 2009 by the inventor in a group ofseedlings resulting from the 2009 crossing, in a research greenhouse inMoshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was performed by vegetativecuttings. This was first performed at a research greenhouse in MoshavMishmar Hashiva, Israel in November of 2009 and has shown that theunique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to typein more than 50 successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘DKIRA88’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘DKIRA88’ These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘DKIRA88’ as a new and distinct Heucheracultivar:

-   -   1. Compact and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Greyed-orange to greyed-green leaf with red-purple venation.    -   3. Rapid growth rate.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DKIRA88’ are similar to plants of the seedparent, Heuchera ‘HU-8149’ in most horticultural characteristics,however, plants of the new cultivar ‘DKIRA88’ differs in the following;

-   -   1. Foliage is greyed-orange. The seed parent foliage is        red-silver.    -   2. Fuller plant body structure.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DKIRA88’ are similar to plants of the pollenparent; Heuchera ‘HU-8-116’ in most horticultural characteristics,however, plants of the new cultivar ‘DKIRA88’ differs in the following;

-   -   1. Foliage is greyed-orange. The pollen parent foliage is        green-orange.    -   2. Fuller plant body structure.    -   3. Flowers are red-white; flowers of pollen parent are        pink-white.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DKIRA88’ are comparable to the varietyHeuchera ‘Strawberry Candy’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,195. The two Heucheravarieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however,the new variety ‘DKIRA88’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. Leaf main color of candidate variety is greyed-red compared        to green of comparison variety.    -   2. Flower color of candidate variety is light pink compared to        dark pink of comparison variety.    -   3. Leaf underside color of candidate variety is purple compared        to green of comparison variety.    -   4. Inflorescence of the new variety is occurs above, but, closer        to the foliage than comparator variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color atypical plant of ‘DKIRA88’ grown in a greenhouse, in a 16 cm pot. Age ofthe plant photographed is approximately 4 months from a rooted cutting.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close up of the foliage.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and althoughcolors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectanceit is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Mini Colour Chart 2001 except where general termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘DKIRA88’ plants grown in a greenhouse, inMoshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The growing temperature ranged from 18°C. to 28° C. during the day and from 13° C. to 18° C. during the night.General light conditions are bright, normal sunlight. Measurements andnumerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Heuchera hybrid ‘DKIRA88’.

PROPAGATION

-   Type of propagation typically used: Cutting.-   Time to initiate roots: About 12 days at approximately 25° C.-   Root description: Fleshy, fibrous.

PLANT

-   Age of plant described: Approximately 16 weeks.-   Growth habit: Mounded.-   Height: Approximately 12-15 cm. to top of foliage. (When    flowering—height is 50-60 cm to top of flowers).-   Plant spread: Approximately 20-25 cm.-   Growth rate: Rapid.-   Branching characteristics: No lateral branches, foliage emerges from    basal rosette.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette — Single.        -   Compound or single.—Single.        -   Shape of blade.—Overall shape deltoid, with broad, shallow            lobes.        -   Average length.—Approximately 6-8 cm.        -   Average width.—Approximately 6-10 cm.        -   Apex.—Broadly obtuse, lobed.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Margin.—Crenate, faintly ciliate.        -   Texture of top surface.—Slightly rough (because of            venation), slight pubescence.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Slightly rough (because of            venation).        -   Leaf internode length.—No internodes.        -   Color.—Marbled effect of dark veins with silver-green            inter-venal areas. Color change with seasons not observed.            Foliage color difference occur with age of leaves. Young            foliage upper side: Greyed-orange group 177B Near RHS. Young            foliage under side: Near greyed-purple 185A RHS. Mature            foliage upper side: Near greyed-green 179A RHS. Mature            foliage under side: Near Red-purple 59B RHS.        -   Venation.—Type: Reticulated. Venation color upper side: Near            Red-purple 59A RHS. Venation color under side: Near            Red-purple 59B RHS.        -   Durability of foliage to stresses.—Highly durable to full            sun exposure, hail, heavy rain, drought.-   Petiole:    -   -   Average length.—Approximately 6-8 cm.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 0.15-0.2 cm.        -   Color.—Near Approximately Red purple 64B.        -   Strength.—Strong, flexible, not easily breaking.-   Other foliage characteristics: Slightly metallic sheen.

FLOWER

-   Bloom period:    -   -   Natural season.—Under moderate climate such as in Israel —            will bloom continuously from Winter to early Summer. Under            typical European weather, will bloom from May through August            in the Northern Hemisphere.-   Bud:    -   -   Bud shape.—Bulbous.        -   Bud diameter.—Approximately 0.2 cm.        -   Bud color.—Near Yellow-green N144A RHS.        -   Base/calyx.—Near red-purple 60B RHS.-   Inflorescence: Raceme.    -   -   Diameter.—10-15 cm.        -   Depth.—20.        -   Flowers per raceme.—30-50 open and 50 buds.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—Approximately 30 cm.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 0.3-0.5 cm.        -   Angle.—Erect.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Soft and silky, slightly pubescent, slightly            metallic.        -   Color.—Near red-purple 59A RHS.-   Individual flower:    -   -   Arrangement and type.—Number of single flowers that arranged            on evenly feathery conical panicles on upper half of            flowering stem; usually about 100 to 150 flowers per            flowering stem. Flowering stems uniform in shape and dense            with numerous flowers. Flowering continuously with numerous            flowering stems forming throughout flowering period; usually            about 10 to 15 flowering stems per plant. Flowering stems            often produce small lateral leaves.        -   Shape.—Campanulate.        -   Quantity of flowers and buds per plant.—Approximately            200-300 open flowers.        -   Diameter of entire flower.—Approximately 0.7 cm.        -   Depth of flower.—Approximately 0.7 cm.        -   Rate of opening.—Individual flowers: Fully open            approximately 3 days from the bud stage.        -   Flower longevity on plant.—Approximately 7 days.        -   Persistent or self-cleaning.—Self cleaning.        -   Fragrance.—Not detected.-   Petals:    -   -   Length of petal.—Approximately 0.4 cm.        -   Width of petal.—Approximately 0.15 cm.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Shape of petal.—Spatulate.        -   Petal margin.—Entire.        -   Petal arrangement.—Rotate.        -   Petal number.—5.        -   Petals fused.—No.        -   Petal appearance.—Matte.        -   Petal texture.—Smooth and silky, slightly pubescent.-   Color:    -   -   Upper surface at first opening.—Near white 155A RHS.        -   Upper surface at maturity.—Near white 155A RHS.        -   Upper surface at fading.—Near white 155B RHS.        -   Under surface at first opening.—Near white 155A RHS.        -   Under surface at maturity.—Near white 155A RHS.        -   Under surface at fading.—Near white 155B RHS.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—Approximately 0.7 cm.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 0.05 cm.        -   Angle.—Erect at first, when mature — Horizontal to 45            degrees downwards towards the stem.        -   Strength.—Strong, does not break easily.        -   Texture.—Smooth and silky, slightly pubescent.        -   Color.—Near red-purple 60C RHS.-   Sepal:    -   -   Number.—5 (fused at base).        -   Sepal appearance.—Matte.        -   Sepal arrangement.—Five sepals fused into a radial            symmetrical calyx tube.        -   Sepal texture.—Thin, smooth and silky, slightly pubescent.        -   Sepal length.—Approximately 0.7 cm.        -   Sepal width.—Approximately 0.2 cm.        -   Sepal shape.—Oblong.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Apex shape.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Color upper surface.—Near yellow group 11C RHS.        -   Color lower surface.—Near greyed-green 195A RHS.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:    -   -   Number.—5.        -   Filament length.—About 0.5 cm.-   Anthers:    -   -   Length.—About 0.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Oval.        -   Color.—Near Orange 24A RHS.        -   Pollen.—Color: Near greyed-orange 168A RHS. Quantity:            Moderate.-   Pistil:    -   -   Number.—2.        -   Length.—About 0.6 cm.        -   Style.—Length: About 2 cm. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 154 C.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Rounded. Color: Near White 155A RHS. Ovary            Color: Near Green-yellow 1A RHS.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to    normal diseases and pests of Heuchera have been observed.-   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance: Hardy perennial USDA zone 4.    Tolerates some drought without significant damage to plant.-   Fruit/seed production:    -   -   Color and shape of fruits and seeds.—Dark Brown seeds, Bean            Shape, 0.1 cm length×0.05 cm wide. Too minute to measure            color with RHS.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plantnamed ‘DKIRA88’ as herein illustrated and described.